Serialized Stories

[NakedDan]

This question has probably been asked before, but I'm new here (in fact, this is my first post in any of the forums), so I'll ask it anyway. I just submitted the first part of an ongoing story (that will hopefully be live in the Exhibitionism and Voyeurism section before the end of the week). I have yet to write a single word on the next part, although I know where the story is going. I see a lot of authors here posting multi-part stories, and I was wondering how many wait until all the parts are written, polished, and edited before posting that first part. I would think that would be advantageous since stories and characters sometimes go where writers hadn't originally intended. In my case, I wanted to get another story on the site after posting my first one late last month, and I didn't have anything else to post. (Actually that's not true; I do have an erotic story that I wrote years ago, but it's not very good.)

 

[noye]

Currently I'm waiting for my preview of a series to post. So I'm a super newb but I'll share what I'm doing. I didn't submit my preview/part 1 until I had a few parts finished. I unfortunately hit some snags so before resubmitting part 1 I finished the outline of the 10 part series and finished filling out background for essential characters not added yet. All while doing this I began editing part two. I know it's rough but that's an example of someone starting on the same page as you. Oh! Good luck as well!

 

[sr71plt]

I think writers here do it however they prefer. A lot of writers who post as they write leave readers in the lurch by not finishing, though, and there is a bit of disgruntlement with that expressed from time to time. Serializing this way, though, is a time-honored approach and there are writers who like to involve their readers in the unfolding of the story.

I don't start posting chaptered stories here myself until the work is finished and I wouldn't start reading anyone else's work that wasn't finished before any posting if I realized that they were still writing it. But that's just me.

 

[RejectReality]

Life happens.

Your best bet is to make sure the story is complete before you begin posting. Otherwise, you risk having circumstances beyond your control prevent you from finishing it, and that causes a black mark that will turn readers away from you.

 

[HeyAll]

Frankly, you should withdraw the submission and wait until all the chapters are complete.

The longer the time goes between each submission, the less people will read it. So if you submit chapter 1 now, and chapter 2 in another month, there were be far less reads.

However, if you submit chapter 2 a few days later, then the sequel will have more reads. So I recommend finishing all the chapters, submitting 1, then a few days later submitting the other, then so forth.

Just some friendly advice.

 

[Hypoxia]

Whatever happens. My first few 'major' works here were completed as series before submission. Since then I've written some one-shots that expanded due to positive reader reactions, and a series that I'm desperately trying to complete. (But the bugger is getting away from me.) I suppose there's the dichotomy of approaches: Is it a chaptered novel, or is it a never-ending chain of events? The former demands completion; the latter can just go on and on and on...

 

[Over_Red]

I see a lot of authors here posting multi-part stories, and I was wondering how many wait until all the parts are written, polished, and edited before posting that first part. I would think that would be advantageous since stories and characters sometimes go where writers hadn't originally intended.

I'm currently posting chapters as I write them. It's working out so far, as far as ratings and readership is concerned, but there are pros and cons.

Pros:

+ story can be easily mutated on the fly. Freedom!
+ reader input can be taken into account, which is cool
+ content is active and submitted rather than sitting in a folder collecting dust
+ good chapter breaks (read: cliffhangers) can create tension and add to the drama of a story

Cons:

- you are locked into what has been previously submitted with regards to character and plot; this is important to consider because often your perspective and editing of a story can change dramatically once you can sit back and examine the whole
- real-life events can impact your schedule
- less readers; a significant population dislike waiting (I think we've all been there)

I find that 99% of commenters/readers that are willing to follow a serial in the first place don't have a problem with the fact that the writing is actively ongoing - UNLESS you fail to follow through. That's truly the major killer. The Sci-Fi/Fantasy section, in particular, which is where I'm at, is littered with the corpses of really engaging series that were dropped by their authors, to the point that people aren't even surprised by it anymore and avoid by default.

I lurked Literotica long before making an account, so I was familiar with that trap. I'm also good about finishing what I start, so that was another reason I decided to just leap in.

Writing with a plan and an outline is an objectively superior method, but I love the thrill and discovery of taking a concept and running with it as far as I can. It's more chaotic, but it's a lot of fun.

The take-away message should be to do whatever you want. You're the author, fuck the police. But do your prospective readers a favor and consider carefully before adding another dead series to the rubbish heap.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Horse shit.

I think Don Westlake spent 40 years writing and publishing his popular PARKER series of 25-30 novels. I'm guessing L'Amour invested as much time writing the SACKETTS.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I post as I write

Have just finished an Erotic Horror serial that was posted as it was written. When I started I had no idea what the end would be, and then the final image fell into place as I was writing Chap 3. I then wrote another 20 chapters to get to the last paragraph.

Most chapters started from the end of the previous one with no idea where it would go. For a couple of chapters I had the last line in my head, and had to figure out how to get to it. Half way through a major plot twist popped up, and I then had to weave the two story threads together.

Had a bit of fun with some readers who "didn't like where my story was going" at one stage (WTF, it's my story!), and wrote a chapter to deliberately stir the wowsers up, so that was fun.

So I say publish as you write, if you want to keep the story threads unpredictable and the story telling flexible.

 

[DeYaKen]

This question has probably been asked before, but I'm new here (in fact, this is my first post in any of the forums), so I'll ask it anyway. I just submitted the first part of an ongoing story (that will hopefully be live in the Exhibitionism and Voyeurism section before the end of the week). I have yet to write a single word on the next part, although I know where the story is going. I see a lot of authors here posting multi-part stories, and I was wondering how many wait until all the parts are written, polished, and edited before posting that first part. I would think that would be advantageous since stories and characters sometimes go where writers hadn't originally intended. In my case, I wanted to get another story on the site after posting my first one late last month, and I didn't have anything else to post. (Actually that's not true; I do have an erotic story that I wrote years ago, but it's not very good.)

Your post highlights the reason why I never start multipart stories unless the author states that he/she has finished the story and will post the other parts at regular intervals. I have no interest in reading a story and having to wait months for it to continue, if it ever does.

 

[StrangeLife]

If the series is short and has a closed story arc I would say that writing everything before uploading is preferable... also because you tend to forget details over time which will invariably lead to continuity errors. You sometimes see characters "changing name" in a series for instance - a typical sign that the author has taken too long a break.

My Masters series was written in one go for instance. I was done with everything before part 1 was submitted.


But if you are writing a longer and open ended series you obviously can't do it that way....

 

[elfin_odalisque]

Horse shit.

I think Don Westlake spent 40 years writing and publishing his popular PARKER series of 25-30 novels. I'm guessing L'Amour invested as much time writing the SACKETTS.

Rubbish. You are comparing apples and pears. A novel is a thing in itself, polished' perky and complete.

Serialization on Lit is more like following a series of 'House'. You rely on the producer/writer not to make you wait.

 

[lovecraft68]

Like anything else you will get different views and opinions here.

I wrote a series that finished at about 50 chapters. I wrote one at a time over the course of eighteen months.

There were several times I felt stuck and a little unsure of where I was going, but in my case, the e-mails from people telling me they loved the series and asking for the next one kept me pushing.

We all motivate differently. Some feel pressured when people are clamoring for more and it hurts them, but I used the fact that there were people excited for the next part to keep me writing. I did not want to let them down and I wouldn't let myself be a quitter.

I think if I tried to write it all before posting it would have died out, but the readers provided motivation to continue

It is frustrating for a reader to start something that does not finish. But I don't bitch about it and honestly my attitude with people that do bitch is...you get what you pay for. Want a full novel? Go buy one.

I doubt anyone sets out to not finish something and many things can happen. The author could take ill, a family member could get sick, a change in careers and work schedule, birth a child....even just plain writers block.

Life hits hard and takes precedence over writing and I understand that. I also understand I am not paying a penny to read here.

I have had authors drop things I was enjoying and yes, it sucks, but its life in perspective....really? You're going to get that ticked?

And what I have told people before and will again...feel free to go spend money on complete works or better yet....you write a long series for us and show us how its done.

I am going to mention the one case it does annoy me-and not just on lit because Dean Koontz did this with a series-they stop their series....but continue to write other things. That bigs me a little bit because it shows they still have time and inclination to write.

But then I tell myself....its free, stop bitching.

 

[elfin_odalisque]

Very thoughtful reply, thanks.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Rubbish. You are comparing apples and pears. A novel is a thing in itself, polished' perky and complete.

Serialization on Lit is more like following a series of 'House'. You rely on the producer/writer not to make you wait.

Find someone else to hate on, ass-apple.

 

[slyc_willie]

Your post highlights the reason why I never start multipart stories unless the author states that he/she has finished the story and will post the other parts at regular intervals. I have no interest in reading a story and having to wait months for it to continue, if it ever does.

My most recent series ran eight chapters, with a note at the beginning of each stating "This is the Nth in an eight-chapter story."

If the series is short and has a closed story arc I would say that writing everything before uploading is preferable... also because you tend to forget details over time which will invariably lead to continuity errors. You sometimes see characters "changing name" in a series for instance - a typical sign that the author has taken too long a break.

My Masters series was written in one go for instance. I was done with everything before part 1 was submitted.


But if you are writing a longer and open ended series you obviously can't do it that way....

Writing an open-ended series can be tricky. I tried that a long time ago and wound up with two posted chapters that didn't resolve the story. I ended up pulling them.

On the other hand, I have a three-part series that was intentionally left open at the end with a statement basically explaining that what I wrote was all I felt like writing at the time. The story itself is complete, but it ends with a cliffhanger of sorts and lots of room for future addition, if I ever feel like getting back to it.

And then there's the eight-parter I mentioned above, which also ends on a cliffhanger that practically begs for a continuation. I know it's a cruel tease for the readers, but I see a lot of this in mainstream writing.

The only "evil" I can think of when it comes to posting chapters of stories is when the author posts numerous chapters back to back, but then never finishes the damn story. I was guilty of this in a sci-fi/fantasy series, with six chapters, each about 30k words, posted. The end of the sixth chapter was very obviously NOT the end of the story. But due to numerous real life problems, I never finished the last two chapters as I had planned. When I came back to Lit a couple years ago, I had those initial six chapters pulled.

My opinion on writing open-ended stories is to stick with it and, if you feel like you aren't going to continue the story, submit something that would at least provide a conclusion for the reader.

 

[PervOtaku]

Both are legitimate methods, plenty of things have bits sent out to the audience while are bits are still in the process or being created. With varying amounts of planning ahead from "no idea what happens next" to "know exactly everything that happens and how it ends" to "have plans but if a better idea comes along things can change".

A lot depends on scheduling. Comic books have to make monthly issues, TV shows have to air weekly (or daily in the case of soap operas), webcomics try to hit a one, two, or three a week posting. In our world, the schedule is anything we want, so if we want the comfort of not posting chapter 1 until the end is written and the whole thing reviewed and proofread multiple times, with a release schedule faster and more reliable than our writing pace, then we can have it.

Personally I hold it back until it's all done. In my first story I tweaked elements of earlier chapters long after the first draft was written. But it's up to you.

 

[PrevertOne]

I'll usually work on a story until I run out of ideas and, rather than beat my head over the block, I'll work on another story until the same thing happens. Then I'll either go back to the earlier story or work on another . . . and another . . . and another. Ideas keep zipping through my head and I'm always afraid I'll lose them if I let them lay idle for too long. Ultimately it can take weeks to months to even years between chapters but I write as the ideas come. Sometimes they don't come very often, other times I can go on a roll and finish fairly quick. I know it's frustrating to readers but it can be the same for writers too, either having no idea or having an idea but not knowing how to write it.

 

[BuckyDuckman]

I've gone both ways with chapter stories (posted on and off Lit) and I am currently of the mind that I should finish the story before posting the first chapter.

If you submit multiple chapters on the same day, Lit appears to space out the posting of the chapters, posting one a day until they are all up, which I think is a good way to do it.

The caution about 'life happens' is a good one. So is unexpectedly getting stuck.

But hey, it's your story and you get to do it anyway YOU want!

 

[soflabbwlvr]

I've done both--posted as soon as I had a chapter ready and waited until the entire story was complete. I find that I prefer to finish the entire story--at least a first draft--before I start posting. That way I can still make changes in chapter 1 based on what happens in chapter 3, or I can go back and insert a MacGuffin if necessary. I can't do that once the story is live.

That being said, I'm working on a 12-15 chapter story for next year. I plan to start posting as soon as I have three chapters in the can. Why? I don't have the patience to wait an entire year. Holding onto the two chapters already completed is driving me up a wall right now. An entire year? I just can't do that.

 

[slyc_willie]

I've done both--posted as soon as I had a chapter ready and waited until the entire story was complete. I find that I prefer to finish the entire story--at least a first draft--before I start posting. That way I can still make changes in chapter 1 based on what happens in chapter 3, or I can go back and insert a MacGuffin if necessary. I can't do that once the story is live.

Technically, you can, since Lit allows the submission of an edited story to replace an existing one. But doing so has a few drawbacks. For one thing, readers who have already read the original chapters as posted might be confused if future chapters reference a change in previous ones. For another, comments remain on an edited chapter, so changes made that correct problems pointed out in the comments will render those comments obsolete and confusing. And then there's the problem of alienating readers if you make drastic changes that affect a favorite character (such as changing Susie Q from a romantic lesbian to a bisexual nympho, as an example).

So yeah, technically, changes can be made to an existing chapter. But I probably wouldn't do it without pulling the whole thing, changing it, then reposting the series.

 

[NakedDan]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Interesting discussion. It's a story I'm excited about, so I went ahead and submitted the first chapter. It appeared on the site yesterday, and 16 people have already favorited it, which seems very high for the Exhibitionist & Voyeur section. So, thanks to all of those. I'm a thousand words into chapter two and plan to have it finished before the weekend ends.

 

[49greg]

Up to know I have posted as I've written. And as someone else mentioned, that tends to leave the readers in a lurch. with months between chapters. As it is I've gotten stuck on a couple of stories.

A problem I have is that I have tended to get interested in a different story before I finish a multi chapter story.

edited: Been thinking about this a while, and putting it here as much to see it myself as to post it.

I'm bothered by a couple of series' that I haven't finished. One in particular, my only Incest attempt, I started with a non-consent story that I thought was a single story. I went in later, after being urged by a very few email feedbacks, and wrote what I thought would be a one chapter 'rest of the story'. That led me where I had not planned - into the incest direction. Each chapter was started with the intent that it would be the last. But I'm as long winded in RL as here, and couldn't come to a conclusion. I worked on other stories that interested me and came back several times.

When I have an unfinished story, either posted or not yet posted, I sometimes get frustrated or even tired of it. It helps to clear cobwebs to go to another story. I know how frustrating it is for the readers and it certainly doesn't help my scores, but sometimes I just can't bring myself to work on something again. Then again I have a LW short two chapter series that I may never finish. Been thinking of deleting what I have. But I have gotten a few emails asking me to finish it. One guy in particular has written me several times about it. In spite of it's very low scores (the last chapter has something like a 2.3!)

The hypocritical part is that I have asked other authors to finish stories, and been disappointed when they don't.

For last few months I haven't started or worked on any stories. I have gotten some ideas for new stories, and even scribbled a few words, but no real writing. Not so much a writers block but a complete lack of ability to actually do it. I even tried the NaNoWriMo in November and didn't get past the third day. The scary thing is that there is a part of me, way in the deepest part of my brain that just tells me "so what."

 

[Hypoxia]

I just scanned the thread and saw no mention of the page-count factor. Basically, longer stories get fewer views but higher vote scores than shorties. A couple of my short series would probably get a better reception if stitched together. Later chapters in a series also tend towards fewer views and higher scores. In both cases, it's because only stalwarts and fans stick around for the end and vote.

And series stories can't be entered in contests -- contest entries tend to get more views. Roz intended her PURELY SINFUL to be ten short chapters which, in the EH world, *might* have been read by a couple hundred viewers. By packing them together into a 19-LIT-page novella and submitting it to the Hallowe'en contest, she became a star here.

 

[Hypoxia]

duplicate